She had grown up beyond anything I expected in the last month she had felt love and loss beyond what she had expected and come through the other side stronger and more open to the world and more understanding of the adults who loved her.

She and Bette had never been closer talking all of the time and arguing less. I don’t think anything could have bought us closer than the events that we have gone through and witnessed our friends go through in the last month or so.

So when Andy said they had to go to England this week we gladly accepted the invitation to accompany them. However the furthest we had gotten so far was the first class departure lounge at LAX and if Andy didn’t stop pacing soon she was going to wear a whole in the posh carpet.

“Here Andy have a drink it might help calm your nerves.”

I glared at Bette I knew that if they started to drink it would be impossible to stop them and the last thing any of us needed was the two of them being plastered before we even got on the plane.

Both women flashed their big weapons at their respective wives. I received Bette’s thousand watt smile and Rachel who was sat next to me got Andy’s light up a room grin before they scampered off to find the bar leaving Rachel and I with the Kids.

They returned a half hour later laden with not only drinks but also food for us all just in time as Katie was even starting to fidget and she never moaned. We set up an impromptu picnic, which did not seem to impress the other residents of the lounge. But I had learnt that when Bette and Andy got together whatever anyone else said seemed to have little impact. They were like kids at school and Rachel and I had just got used to vetoing their most childish behaviour.

All of the kids not only Angie and Katie had come to love our new friends over the past weeks and we all seemed to spend most of our weekends at their house. During the week whenever they had any free time they would try and take the kids, they said to give us some free time, but I am sure they enjoyed it more than the kids themselves.